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Canadian killed in London terror attack remembered as ‘a bright light’

Christine Archibald of B.C. was a social worker at a homeless shelter before moving to Europe to be with her fiancé. Friends and family recalled her generosity, kind spirit and huge heart and asked that her memory be honoured by donating to homeless shelters with the message “Tell them Chrissy sent you.”

Christine Archibald of British Columbia was a Canadian victim of the attack on London Bridge, her family has confirmed. (Twitter)

A Canadian woman who was one of the victims in a horrific killing spree in London on Saturday night is being remembered as a loving daughter and sister who believed everyone deserved respect.

Christine (Chrissy) Archibald, 30, of Castlegar B.C., southeast of Kelowna, was with her fiancé in London when she was attacked by three terrorists who initially used a van to mow down pedestrians on London Bridge.

Archibald was one of the victims struck by the van, and the first victim of the ambush to be identified. The couple had reportedly just left a restaurant and were walking on London Bridge, with Archibald a bit behind her fiancé, Tyler Ferguson, when he heard tires screech and looked back as the attack unfolded.

The three terrorists got out of the vehicle, went down a set of stairs and stabbed people in several restaurants in Borough Market. The three men were later shot dead by London police.

According to family friends Eileen and Patrick Audet, Archibald worked in a shelter for the homeless in Calgary, where she lived before moving to Holland to be with Ferguson, a Canadian accountant.

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Archibald died in his arms after the attack, according to a CBC report.

A woman places posters around the city near the scene of the terrorist attack on June 4, 2017 in London, England. (Christopher Furlong / GETTY IMAGES)

In a Facebook post Sunday, Ferguson’s brother Mark decried the violence and mourned the loss of the woman who would have been his sister-in-law.

“I can’t even believe this is real! My brother and his fiancé were on London Bridge last night. She was one of the victims struck by the van. They tried everything but weren’t able to save her. His life, and all those close to her have been changed forever,” he said.

Adding that his heart goes out to Archibald’s family, Mark wrote: “These senseless acts of terror” must stop.

Ferguson’s sister Cassie posted on Facebook: “Hearing his painful sobs on the phone while he’s alone trying to deal with this tears me apart. I have no words.”

Archibald’s parents issued a statement through the government in Ottawa: “She had room in her heart for everyone and believed strongly that every person was to be valued and respected. . . . She would have had no understanding of the callous cruelty that caused her death. Please honor her by making your community a better place. Volunteer your time and labor or donate to a homeless shelter. Tell them Chrissy sent you.”

A neighbour said the family is well respected in the community, and Archibald’s parents, retired teachers, are active in their local Catholic church, where the father, Greg, plays guitar.

Archibald attended the church with her two sisters and parents when she was younger. The three daughters at one time were all involved in Highland dancing, the neighbour recalled.

British counterterrorism investigators searched two homes Monday and detained "a number" of people in the investigation into a van and knife attack in the heart of London that left seven people dead and dozens hurt.

Archibald was a graduate of Mount Royal University in Calgary, where she received a diploma in social work in 2015.

“Our deepest condolences go to her family and loved ones, as well as to members of our community who are grieving her loss,” the university said Sunday.

Kathy Christiansen, executive director at Alpha House, the shelter in Calgary where Archibald was a social worker for five years before leaving for Europe in February, issued a statement Sunday night saying: “Chrissy was a bright light to many, and her generosity, kind spirit and huge heart for her work in responding to issues of addictions and homelessness at the centre inspired us all.”

Borrowing a line from the family’s statement of remembrance, a hash tag was created on Twitter Sunday called #tellthemChrissysentyou to urge donations to homeless shelters in her memory.

“We grieve with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones, and wish all those injured a speedy and full recovery,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said, “We believe we are experiencing a new trend in the threat we face” as “terrorism breeds terrorism” and attackers copy one another. She said five credible plots have been disrupted since March.

“It is time to say, enough is enough,” she said.

Forty-eight people, including two police officers, were treated at hospitals. Twenty-one remained in critical condition Sunday. Among the wounded were German, French, Spanish and Australian citizens, officials said.

Although none of the assailants in Saturday’s attack were identified, counterterrorism police conducted a raid Sunday in Barking, in east London, in connection with the assault and arrested 12, seven women and five men between the ages of 19 and 60. Searches there continued, police said, suggesting that they had identified at least one assailant.

Daesh, also known as ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out by “a detachment of Islamic State fighters.”

A young boy holds up a message for the victims of the London terrorist attacks at the County Hotel on June 4, 2017 in Carlisle, England. (Jeff J Mitchell / GETTY IMAGES)

But analysts said the terrorist group considers anyone whose actions were inspired by the group to essentially be a member.

“This is how ISIS decentralizes its terrorism,” said Laith Alkhouri, a director at Flashpoint, a business risk intelligence company in New York that tracks militant and cyber threats. “As of now, there’s no indication that ISIS orchestrated or directed these attacks.”

On Sunday, May’s Conservative Party and the opposition Labour Party announced they were suspending campaigning for parliamentary elections — less than a full day in the case of Labour — out of respect for the victims. However, the right-wing, populist, U.K. Independence Party continued with scheduled campaign events.

May said the election would go ahead Thursday as planned.

The prime minister led an emergency meeting of her security cabinet on Sunday. In a statement afterward, she said the government would intensify its counterterrorism efforts to deal with Islamist radicalism at home and to try to restrict “the safe spaces it needs to breed,” both on the Internet and in British communities.

A police officer at a cordon at the scene of a terror attack on London Bridge on Saturday. (CHRIS J RATCLIFFE / AFP / GETTY IMAGES)

May has been pressing for a tougher line against Islamist extremism for some time. By stating that police and security measures were insufficient, she was announcing a new effort, if re-elected, to break down what she considers to be essentially self-segregated communities and to be less delicate of their sensitivities.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn criticized the prime minister.

“You cannot protect the public on the cheap,” Corbyn said in a speech. “The police and security services must get the resources they need, not 20,000 police cuts. Theresa May was warned by the Police Federation, but she accused them of ‘crying wolf.’ ”

With files from Alyshah Hasham, Fakiha Baig and Star wire services

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